An international agreement has been reached to protect the endangered Toroa/Antipodean albatross has been found.
One hundred and thirty countries have now agreed to protect the bird at a conference held in India. This was largely due to the collaborative efforts of New Zealand, Australia and Chile.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said the agreement would help reduce Antipodean albatross from being inadvertently caught by fishing vessels. This happens often during the 100,000-kilometre annual migration the birds make.
There are now only 9050 breeding pairs, which mean the species could be extinct within the next 20 years.
Sage said today’s agreement showed increasing international consensus on the need to save seabirds from extinction.
One Response
My son’s class saw this announcement during school. They were excited to hear about this important agreement. Thank you NZ, Australia and Chile for leading by example!
Travis Horton (Christchurch, NZ)